Published: Wednesday, January 9, 2013 at 10:45 PM.

The soldier’s uniform exhibit will be among a number of permanent exhibits about all aspects of the Civil War in Kinston and Lenoir County, including the gunboat, members of the Confederate and Union military, civilians living in and around Kinston, and the African-American experience.

“The aim of the museum is to tell the larger story about why Kinston was important in the (Civil) war,” said Sarah Risty-Davis, site manager of the CSSNeuseCivilWarInterpretiveCenterand Gov. Richard Caswell Memorial, who also spoke to The Free Press before Tuesday’s presentation.

Hines said the exhibit will be of a typical uniform worn by a North Carolina infantryman, including his cap, jacket, shirt, trousers and shoes.

It will also include his “accoutrements,” such as a canteen, a cloth bag to carry supplies, boxes to carry percussion caps and cartridges for his weapon, a haversack and more.

Hines said several suppliers of uniforms and gear for Civil War re-enactors will make the items for the exhibit.

“It’s going to be made from scratch by hand and its authentic, an authentic North Carolina uniform,” Hines said.

Hardison said the SCV’s donation will cover everything in the exhibit except the soldier’s weapon.

The CSS Neuse Civil War Interpretive Center is designed to show all aspects of the Civil War in Eastern North Carolina, from military to civilian, and a local camp of the Sons of Confederate Veterans is helping to fund part of the military side.

“It’s local history, and we want to help out and educate as much as possible,” said Gary Hines, commander of the SCV’s CSS Ram Neuse Camp 1427 of Kinston.

The Interpretive Center, which houses the remains of the Confederate Navy’s CSS Neuse ironclad, is scheduled to have a “soft opening,” with temporary exhibits and an auditorium, sometime this winter.

The full opening is expected to take place in the fall.

Camp 1427 has donated $900 toward the making of an “authentic” North Carolina soldier’s uniform and gear, which would be on display in the Interpretive Center.

A check for $900 was presented Tuesday evening by camp officers to Keith Hardison, director of the N.C. Division of Historic Sites and Properties, which oversees the Neuse Interpretive Center and Caswell Memorial.

“These uniforms are not cheap, especially when you have one that is historically correct and everything that is going on this display is going to be historically correct,” Hines said before the presentation Tuesday.

The soldier’s uniform exhibit will be among a number of permanent exhibits about all aspects of the Civil War in Kinston and Lenoir County, including the gunboat, members of the Confederate and Union military, civilians living in and around Kinston, and the African-American experience.

“The aim of the museum is to tell the larger story about why Kinston was important in the (Civil) war,” said Sarah Risty-Davis, site manager of the CSSNeuseCivilWarInterpretiveCenterand Gov. Richard Caswell Memorial, who also spoke to The Free Press before Tuesday’s presentation.

Hines said the exhibit will be of a typical uniform worn by a North Carolina infantryman, including his cap, jacket, shirt, trousers and shoes.

It will also include his “accoutrements,” such as a canteen, a cloth bag to carry supplies, boxes to carry percussion caps and cartridges for his weapon, a haversack and more.

Hines said several suppliers of uniforms and gear for Civil War re-enactors will make the items for the exhibit.

“It’s going to be made from scratch by hand and its authentic, an authentic North Carolina uniform,” Hines said.

Hardison said the SCV’s donation will cover everything in the exhibit except the soldier’s weapon.

He explained that state and private money is available for exhibits, and officials must still determine which pot of money will be used for the weapon.

“We will have a full infantry outfit and weapon by the time we’re finished,” Hardison said.

He said it will be one of several exhibits covering uniforms of the period, such as the Union Army and naval uniforms, and private groups have offered to help “underwrite” them.

“This is just another indication of how the historical community, as well as the community at large, is embracing this project,” Hardison said.

About $3.8 million in state and private funds is being spent on the entire Interpretive Center, and Hardison said more contributions of money and artifacts from the public are welcome.

David Anderson can be reached at 252-559-1077 or David.Anderson@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter at DavidFreePress.

BREAKOUT BOX:

- To contribute to the CSS Neuse Civil War Interpretive Center, call Site Manager Sarah Risty-Davis at 252-526-9600, Ext. 232

- The Sons of Confederate Veterans’ CSS Ram Neuse Camp 1427 meets the first Tuesday of the month at King’s Restaurant